Key duplicating machine

ABSTRACT

AN AUTOMATIC KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE WHICH CAUSES KEY BLANK IN A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO A KEY MASTER TO TRAVERSE A ROTATING CUTTING MEMBER AND ONE OR MORE DEBURRING BRUSHES TO DUPLICATE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE KEY MASTER ON THE KEY BLANK. BOTH THE MASTER AND THE BLANK ARE FIXED RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER ON A MEMBER FORMING PART OF CARRIAGE MEANS WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF LINEAR TRANSLATORY MOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE APPARATUS SUPPORT MEANS, THE CUTTING MEMBER AND THE BRUSHES. MEANS, INCLUDING A CAM AND DRIVE ASSEMBLY, ARE DISCLOSED FOR TRANSLATING THE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF A GEAR DRIVE MECHANISM TO CAUSE THE LINEAR MOTION OF A CARRIAGE MEMBER. THE CAM ASSEMBLY INCLUDES A BARREL CAM HAVING A CONTINUOUS GROOVE AND ALSO INCLUDES A CAM FOLLOWER FIXED IN THE GROOVE TO IMPART THE LINEAR MOTION TO THE CARRIAGE WHEN AUTOMATIC OPERATION IS DESIRED. THE GROOVE IN THE CAM HAS A SPIRAL PORTION TO GUIDE THE CAM FOLLOWER DURING AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF THE MACHINE AND AN AXIAL PORTION WHICH PERMITS MANUAL OPERATION OF THE MACHINE AND FREE RETURN OF THE CARRIAGE AFTER AUTOMATIC OPERATION. BIASING MEANS ARE PROVIDED TO MAINTAIN THE FORCE OF THE KEYS AND THE CARRIAGE MEANS AGAINST THE STATIONARY GUIDE BLADE ENGAGING THE SERRATIONS ON THE KEY MASTER AND THE ROTATING CUTTING MEMBER WHICH ENGAGES THE KEY BLANK. CONTROL MEANS ARE PROVIDED TO SELECT EITHER SINGLE-CYCLE AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL OPERATION OF THE MACHINE. THE CUTTER ASSEMBLY INCLUDES ONE OR MORE COUNTER-ROTATING DEBURRING BRUSHES MOUNTED ON AN AXIS CONCENTRIC WITH THE AXIS OF THE CUTTER WHEEL AND DRIVEN BY A PINION GEAR FROM THE DRIVE GEAR ON THE CUTTER MOTOR SHAFT SO THAT THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE BRUSH IS OPPOSITE TO THAT OF THE CUTTER WHEEL. THE MEANS FOR SECURING THE KEY BLANK AND THE KEY MASTER ON THE CARRIAGE INCLUDE A NOVEL LOCKING MEMBER AND PERMIT EASY POSITIONING OF THOSE ELEMENTS AS WELL AS STRONGLY SECURING THE ELEMENTS AGAINST INADVERTENT DISPLACEMENT DURING THE OPERATION.

1971 'L. D. CARLO ETAL 3,625,111-

KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet l v FIG. i

, INVENTORS -HAROLD L. BAKER LOUIS D.CARLO PHILIP C. HUNGERFORD,JR.

I 244;, 6f MaMollami ATTORNEYS 7, 9 L. D. CARLO ETAL 3,625,111

KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 File d Oct. 6, 1969 FIG. 2

BAKER E FORD JR BY HUN R 404 S a MM ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1971 L. D. CARLO ETAL KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 6, 1969 R J .m w m m 5% R KO WA m M LCH D C a MSW ml A H HLP lzs FIG. 6

ATTORNEYS 'Dec. 7, 1971 L.-D. CARLO ETAL KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 6

INVENTORS FIG. 8

R J D R R m E m K mm BAU M LCH C a mw RUnm A H HLP u fl ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1971 L. D. CARLO ETAL 3,625,111

KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed 001;. 6, 1969 6 Sheets-Shoot 5 ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1971 D. CARLO ETAL 3,625,111

KEY DUPLI CAT ING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. I2 I23 -|os- 'o-- 53% w?" 2. @g u CAM DRIVE I SUPPLY MOTOR,

FIG. l4

' CUTTER? BRUSH mvswmns MOTOR 4 HAROLD L. BAKER LOUIS o. CARLO PHILIP C.HUNGERFORD,JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,625,111 KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE Louis D. Carlo, Cleveland, Harold L. Baker, Warrensville Heights, and Philip C. Hungerford, Jr., Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to Cole National Corporation Filed Oct. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 863,782 Int. Cl. B23c 1/16 U.S. Cl. 9013.05 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic key duplicating machine which causes a key blank in a fixed position relative to a key master to traverse a rotating cutting member and one or more deburring brushes to duplicate the configuration of the key master on the key blank. Both the master and the blank are fixed relative to one another on a member forming part of carriage means which are capable of linear translatory motion with respect to the apparatus support means, the cutting member and the brushes. Means, including a cam and drive assembly, are disclosed for translating the rotational movement of a gear drive mechanism to cause the linear motion of a carriage member. The cam assembly includes a barrel cam having a continuous groove and also includes a cam follower fixed in the groove to impart the linear motion to the carriage when automatic operation is desired. The groove in the cam has a spiral portion to guide the cam follower during automatic operation of the machine and an axial portion which permits manual operation of the machine and free return of the carriage after automatic operation. Biasing means are provided to maintain the force of the keys and the carriage means against the stationary guide blade engaging the serrations on the key master and the rotating cutting member which engages the key blank. Control means are provided to select either single-cycle automatic or manual operation of the machine. The cutter assembly includes one or more counter-rotating deburring brushes mounted on an axis concentric with the axis of the cutter wheel and driven by a pinion gear from the drive gear on the cutter motor shaft so that the direction of rotation of the brush is opposite to that of the cutter wheel. The means for securing the key blank and the key master on the carriage include a novel locking member and permit easy positioning of those elements as well as strongly securing the elements against inadvertent displacement during the operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to key duplicating machines. More particularly, this machine relates to key duplicating machines which may be either manually or automatically operated. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a key duplicating machine of the kind in which the profile of a master key is duplicated on a key blank.

The prior art includes a wide variety of machines designed to produce keys which duplicate the profiles of other keys. Typically, those machines include means to fix the key blank relative to the master key and means to fix a cutting member relative to a guide. When the guide engages the master key, the cutting member engages the key blank to duplicate the profile of the key master. Generally, such machines have been manually operated, wherein the skills of the operator play an important role in determining the operability of the newly-cut key.

Problems which have confronted the operator have included difliculties in: (1) positioning the key master and the key blank in a proper relationship, (2) manipulatively insuring that a relatively constant pressure is exerted against the guide as it engages the profile of the key master so that the profile of the newly-cut key blank precisely corresponds to the master, and (3) manually deburring the newly-cut key. It may be understood that inadvertence in any one or more of the above areas of diificulty could produce an inoperable duplicate key.

In an attempt to solve these problems, the art has produced several automatic key cutting machines. An exemple of an automatic machine is shown in the US. patent to N. S. Lieptz, Pat. No. 3,286,596, issued Nov. 22, 1966. In general, such automatic key cutting machines have not been capable of both manual or automatic operation, nor have they included controls capable of permitting both types of operation. Moreover, these machines have not generally adequately solved the problem of exerting proper pressure on the guide and cutting member as the key blank engages the profile of the key master to insure that the duplicate key is true. In addition, the art has not generally included adequate means for automatically deburring the newly-cut blank, and particularly has not solved the need to obviate a separate deburring step in the cutting cycle. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a key cutting machine which is capable of both automatic and manual operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a key duplicating machine which includes means for placing pressure upon the guide as it engages the profile of the master key so that the newly-cut key is a true duplicate of the master.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an automatic key duplicating machine which is automatic both as to the cutting and the deburring operation.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an automatic key duplicating machine which includes a cam and drive assembly capable of use in either manual or automatic operation.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide control means for an automatic key duplicating machine which permits both automatic and manual operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic key cutting apparatus which includes base means and a carriage assembly capable of lateral movement with respect to the base means, the carriage means being driven by a cam and drive assembly.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an automatic key cutting apparatus which causes a key blank in a fixed position relative to a key master to traverse a rotating cutting member and one or more deburring brushes to produce a duplicate key.

It is another object of this invention to provide improved locking means for the key members on the carriage means.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a deburring member on a shaft concentric with the shaft to which the cutting member is secured wherein the key is deburred immediately after the key is profiled.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a cam for use in an automatic key duplicating machine wherein the cam permits automatic or manual operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide differential spring loading of the key member against the cutting member and against the deburring member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Directed to the solutions of the shortcomings of the prior art and to achieving the aforestated and other objects, the invention includes an apparatus support means including a precast base capable of being mounted either upon a pole-like structure or upon a generally horizontal fiat surface. Power drive means, including a motor, a gear box assembly, and coupling means, are

provided in a fixed relationship to the base means. The cutting means, including a first shaft connected to the gear box assembly and a deburring member mounted upon the shaft for rotation in a first direction. A cutting member is secured to a second shaft concentric with the first shaft and secured to the second shaft by an arbor nut. The cutter rotates in a direction opposite from the brushes.

The carriage means are capable of horizontal movement with respect to the base means and include a generally Y-shaped member. Improved gripping means, including means for securing a key member to a gripping surface ore provided on each arm of the Y, one for engaging the key blank, and one for engaging the master key. Guide means, including a guide member, for tracing the profile of the key master are positioned in such a manner that when the machine is operated, the cutter engages the key blank in a position which precisely corresponds to the key master. The carriage assembly is horizontally translatable on a shaft.

A cam and drive means are provided for causing the horizontal translation of the carriage means. The cam and drive means include a barrel cam having a continuous groove provided therein. When the cam follower is positioned in the spiral portion of continuous groove of the barrel cam and when the cam is rotated, the follower, secured to a member on the shaft supporting the carriage means, is caused to move linearly upon rotation of the cam. The continuous groove in the cam is also provided with an axial portion so that the carriage may be man- 'ually manipulated and also to provide free return of the carriage to its starting position.

Biasing means, including spring means secured to the member supporting the cam follower, is arranged to provide the desired loading on the carriage for various axial.

positions.

Control means are provided to permit the machine to operate either automatically or manually. Limit switches are located so that the machine must be in a set position before automatic operation may be commenced. When the carriage has been returned to its starting position, the limit switch is engaged and the cam follower is in its start position. Thereupon the machine may be actuated causing the cam follower to follow the spiral groove of the rotating barrel cam. When the barrel cam has completed one revolution, the carriage has moved its desired axial distance, whereupon an eccentric on the barrel cam engages a second limit switch causing the machine to stop. A handle is provided to return the carriage to its original position.

As the carriage has been driven by the action of the cam follower in the spiral groove of the barrel cam, the cutting member has simultaneously rotated, cutting a profile in the key blank which identically matches the profile of the key master. At a point in its horizontal movement, the cutter has completed its cutting operation, but the carriage continues to move so that the oppositely rotating brushes may engage the newly-cut profile on the key blank to accomplish the deburring operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to the invention particularly showing the cutting member and the deburring members relative to the key master and key blank secured to carriage means;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cutter means taken along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the planetary gear arrangement for the cutting member and deburring mem ber taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of the barrel cam, its switch-actuating eccentric and the biasing means, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a view, partially in section, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing the cam and drive means in greater detail;

FIG. 8 is a view, partially in section, taken along line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. '9 is a side elevational view of the securing means and an arm of the carriage for gripping a key member;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the securing means shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the control circuit including limit switches for the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an overall layout of the invention including apparatus support means shown generally at 1 as including a base 2. First power drive means for providing rotational energy to the cutting member and deburring member are shown generally at 3, including a motor 4, transmission means 5, coupling means 6, and gear means 7, shown in dotted outline. Motor 4 is actuatable separately from the cam and drive assembly (as will be hereinafter discussed) so that the machine may be manually operated.

Cutting means, shown generally at 10 and in greater detail in FIG. 4, is depicted as comprising a shaft 11 on which deburring members 12, such as cylindrical wire brushes, are mounted. A cutting member 14 is secured by an arbor nut 15 to a second shaft 16- for performing the cutting operations on the key blank.

Carriage means, shown generally at 18 and capable of lateral translatory movement with respect to the cutting means and deburring means, are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6 through 8. Cam and drive means, shown generally at 19, provide the movement for the carriage means, and are set forth in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. Control means, shown generally at 20 and in greater detail in FIG. 14, include push-button 21 and toggle switch 22. Toggle 22 controls the off, manual, and automatic operations of the machine, as will hereinafter be discussed.

Apparatus support means In the apparatus support means, base 2 may take the form of a wide variety of configurations, but as depicted, is preferably of die-cast aluminum of such dimension as to be capable of being stem mounted, as best seen in FIG. 3, or capable of resting upon a generally horizontal work platform, as may be observed in FIG. 2.

Base 2 includes a generally triangular converging webportion 24 merging into a pair of flanged sections 25 each having a plurality of mounting holes 26- disposed therein. The web-portion terminates in an upraised, generally cylindrical portion 27 having a bore 28 and a counterbore 29' placed therein for mounting to a stem 30 as can be seen in FIG. 3. The apparatus may be secured to stem 30 by fastening means 31, preferably a machine bolt.

Base 2 as cast includes a bottom section 32 and a rear wall 33 extending from the left side flange portion 34 beyond a first intermediate wall 35 connected to a second intermediate wall 36. Intermediate walls 35 and 36 are generally parallel and form a convenient division of the base into compartments suitable for housing various portions of the apparatus as well as providing a journaled member to support a portion of the cutter assembly 10.

The base 2 also includes a front flange portion 38 having a plurality of openings 39 therethrough for placement of fastening means, such as machine screws, when the overall structure is mounted on a supporting surface.

At one side, apparatus support means 1 includes a housing 40 having an upper wall section 41 shown partially in section in FIG. 2. Wall section 41 may include openings therein as at 42 for cooling gear drive motor 43 housed therein. As previously mentioned, gear drive motor 43 may be operated either separately from or concurrently with motor 4.

An inclined section 45, located on the side of base 2 opposite housing 40, is conveniently placed for the removal and disposal of chips and filings from the key as it is cut.

Power driven means and cutting means The details of the power drive means and cutting means are best understood by references to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Frame means 50 for housing transmission means 5, for example a gear reducer, coupling means 6, and gear means 7 are securedto the apparatus support means 1 by a plurality of fastening members 51, for example, machine screws. The upper portion 52 of frame means 50 assumes the configuration of a gentle curve (see FIGS. 2 and 3) while the lower portion 53 assumes an outward configuration of a tangent thereto. Recesses 54 are provided in lower portion 53 to accommodate fastening means 51.

A first side wall '55 of frame 50 is cast in the form of a circular portion to accommodate the motor 4 therein. The other end wall 56 of frame means 50 has a first axially extending portion 58 having a bore 59 contained therein and first and second support structures 60 and 61 attached thereto. When assembled, bore 59 accommodates shaft 12 and the second shaft 16 of cutting means As heretofore indicated, motor 4 is connected in a manner known to the art to a speed reducing transmission 5 having a hub 63 for supporting a shaft 64.

In one embodiment, coupling 6 is a cylindrical member including a radial tap 65 for securing shaft 64 therein by a suitably disposed fastening means within the radial tap. A drive shaft 66 is disposed in coupling 6 in a direction axially opposite shaft 64. Coupling 6 may include an opening having a flattened portion and complementary in shape to an end portion of shaft 66 to be secured therein.

A gear housing 69 having a first leg 70 and a second leg 71 with a cross member 72 which is generally transverse of the first leg and the second leg is provided. Shaft 66 is journaled in both the first leg 70 and second leg 71 of gear housing 69.

A pinion gear 73 is secured to shaft 66 by key 74 secured for rotation with shaft 66. A second pinion gear 78 is in mesh with the first pinion gear 73 and is secured near one end of shaft 11 as by a pressed fit, to cause rotation of that shaft in a first direction opposite the direction of rotation of shaft 66. One end of shaft 11 is journaled within first leg 70* of gear housing 69 and secured thereto by means of washer 74, retaining ring 79, and shaft retainer 75 secured to leg 70 by fastener 76.

From FIG. 4, it may be seen that brush shaft 11 is disposed within and concentric with cutter shaft 16 To permit free and independent counter-rotation of shaft 11 relative to cutter shaft 16, bearing means are provided at 80 and 81 respectively.

In order to impart a rotational direction to shaft 16 which is opposite to that of shaft 11, a gear member 83 having an intermediate axial extending portion 84 is secured to shaft 16 to cause rotation thereof, and a second axially extending portion 85 having teeth 86 is disposed thereon in mesh with the pinion 73 opposite its engagement with pinion 78. It will be understood that for rotation of shaft 66 in a first direction, cutter shaft 11 will rotate in the opposite direction because of the mesh of the gear 78 with gear 73. On the other hand, the

rotation of cutter shaft 16 will be in the same direction as the rotation of shaft 66 because of the action of the mesh between gear 73 and teeth 86 on gear member 84.

Additional bearings 88 are also provided to aid in the free running of the respective shafts and to impart a high degree of structural integrity to the overall apparatus.

Cutting means 14 includes a cutting member 90 having a beveled annular cutting face 91. Member 90 is secured to shaft 16 near the end opposite the gear mechanism by a washer 92 and arbor nut 93 threadedly engaged with the end portion of shaft .16. At the end of shaft 16, a retaining ring 94 disposed in a groove in shaft 11 may be provided to maintain the relationship between shaft 11 and shaft 16.

Deburring means 12 include a plurality of deburring brushes 95 secured to shaft 11 in a spaced relationship, maintained, for example, by a plurality of washers 96. The brushes 95 and washers 96 are secured to the shaft by a clamping nut 97 having a thread direction appropriately chosen to prevent inadvertent rotational movement during the cutting or the deburring operation.

It can best be seen in FIG. 1 that cutter guard 99 is disposed in relation to cutter 90 for safety purposes.

Carriage means Turning now to the details of carriage means 18, a car riage member 10.1 is fixedly secured on a carriage shaft 102, having an axis which is substantially co-linear with the axis of the shaft 11 in the cutter assembly. A handle 103 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is fixedly secured to shaft 102 as by pin 104 disposed in a detent 100*.

The carriage member 101, shaft 102 and handle 103 are capable of translatory motion laterally from the position in which the key blank 106 is ready to be cut according to the serrations in key master 107 secured by improved gripping means to carriage member 101. Since the assembly is programmed for single-cycle operation, the extent of its linear travel is shown by the phantom outline 108 of handle 103. Shaft handle 103 also provides a return gripping device for carriage member 101 and the shaft assembly to its original or starting position.

As may best be seen in FIG. 3, carriage member 101 is a generally Y-shaped member having arms 110 and 111 cast therewith.

Arm 110 has a gripping surface 112 disposed near its distal end for securely mounting key blank 106. Similarly, arm 111 has a gripping surface 113 disposed near its distal end for securing a key master 107 thereon. Means shown generally at 115 are disposed on each of the arms 110 and 111 for securing the key blank 106 or the key master 107 to the respective arms. Since the means 115 on each arm are generally similar, they will only be described with respect to the securing means 115 disposed on arm 111.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 9 through 13, securing means 115 comprise an eccentrically operated clamp arm 116 rotated about a roll pin 117 disposed between the bifurcated portions 118 of arm 110. A stud 120 is disposed in an oversized opening 121 which is generally transversely disposed and secured in flat 113 on arm .111.

A clamping member 122 having an inturned lip 123 is positioned adjacent intermediate clamping member 124 so that inturned lip 123 is secured adjacent key member 106 or 107. The intermediate clamping member 124 and member 122 are disposed about and are positioned adjacent stud 120 for tightening therewith.

An eccentric member 125 is also disposed about stud 122 adjacent clamp 124 and is secured about stud 120 by a thumb screw 126. The arrangement of elements is biased by a clamp spring 127 so that when the thumb screw 126 is released, the assembly parts between the flat 113 on arm 111 and the key cutter clamp. A key may be then inserted therebetween.

In operation, a key blank is positioned on gripping surface 112, generally adjacent a guide member 132 disposed thereon. Guide member 132 corresponds to a like member 132 disposed on the gripping surface of the other arm so that a precise positional correlation is maintained between the cutter guide and the key master as a first unit and the key blank and the cutting member as a second unit.

After precise positioning, the thumb screw 126 is hand tightened to the desired strength with clamp arm 116 in the position about ninety degrees from that shown in FIG. 9. Thereafter, arm 116 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 9, causing the cam surface 134 located thereon to contact the undersurface of member 124 causing an increased tension in the gripping means as the members tend to be axially displaced. Openings disposed in each of the members 122, 124 and opening 121 permit the necessary degree of lateral movement during tightening.

The carriage member 101 is secured to carriage shaft 102 by a clamping stud 129 secured thereto by a roll pin 130.

Cam and drive means Turning now to the detail of the carriage drive assembly, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, a cam support shaft 150 is rotatably secured in cam housing 151 and 152. A roller cam .153 is rotatably secured about cam support shaft 150 by the use of bearing means 154 and 155 disposed at opposite ends of the roller cam 153. In a preferred embodiment, bearing means 154 and 155 are nylon inserts.

Means for rotating the roller cam 153 in a cyclic arrangement are provided and include a gear motor 157 connected to a gear drive arrangement 158 which is in turned connected to pinion gear 159. Cam gear 160 is secured to roller cam 153 for rotation therewith and is also connected to pinion gear 159.

Roller cam 153 is generally cylindrical in configuration and includes a continuous groove which includes a spiral portion, shown at 162, which extends axially along the outer surface of roller cam 153. An axially extending portion 163 of the continuous groove permits the key cutter to be used for manual operation and will provide a simplified return path for the carriage at the completion of the cycle which will be hereinafter discussed.

A carriage guide shaft 165 is also disposed between cam housing walls 151 and 152.

A linking drive member 167 is provided which is secured to the shaft 102 near one end thereof and is secured to guide shaft 165 in such a manner that lateral translational movement of the member relative to the shaft is permitted. Member 167 includes a cam follower 169 disposed in the continuous groove in the roller cam 153.

In operation, the key master and key blank are positioned in the carriage member as hereinbefore discussed. The apparatus is actuated and the drive member 167 is driven by the rotation of the roller cam 153 and the action of the cam follower 169 in the continuous groove thereof to its end position. An eccentric member 170 is secured to roller cam 153 at the end opposite the gear drive assembly and is positioned to actuate limit switch 171 after one complete rotation of the spiral cam 153. A second limit switch 172, shown in the schematic of FIG. 14, is located at a convenient position to indicate that the carriage has returned to its starting position. By the arrangement of FIG. 14, the machine will not operate unless the carriage is at the beginning of the cycle as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 As may be seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 8, drive member 167 is laterally displaceable by the movement of cam follower 169 in the continuous groove of the barrel cam 153. However, member 167 is secured against relative rotational movement at its upper end where a bore 190 rotatably receives the end portion 191 of shaft 102. Near its lower end, member 167 includes a bore 192 which may be provided with a nylon insert 193 for free lateral movement along guide shaft 165.

A spring arm.177 is fixedly secured, as by securing means 195, to an end of shaft 102 axially adjacent the end of arm 167. As will be discussed, spring arm 177 is spring-biased relative to member 167 so that shaft 102, and hence carriage arm 101, rotates therewith. Thus, a tension of the key blank against the cutter and the deburring means is assured. For example, in FIG. 6 a spring tension causes arm 177 to tend to cause rotation of shaft 102 in a clockwise direction which corresponds to forcing key blank 106 more firmly against cutting member 90.

Member 177 has a roll pin 196 generally transverse thereto and located near One end of the member. Similarly, member 167 has a roll pin 197 secured near its distal end. Spring members, having different free lengths, are shown at 174 and 175 and are secured to the roll pins 196 and 197 on the opposite side of the ends of the respective arms 17 7 and 167.

It has been found convenient to use a differential biasing arrangement such as that depicted because of the differences in the radii of the deburring means and the cutting means. As the carriage means 101 traverses the cutting member, spring 175, having the shorter free length, is greatly extended, while the extension of spring 174 beyond its free length is somewhat less. After the key blank 106 passes the cutter, the spring bias tends to rotate shaft 102 inwardly toward the deburring means 12 where the key is effectively deburred. The springs are sized so that spring 175 loses its tensioning ability while spring 174 provides a sufficient tension to achieve the deburring operation. One of the reasons that such an arrangement has been found desirable is to prevent stalling the motor and gear arrangement by excessive pressure on the deburring means.

Turning now to the details of FIG. 14, an overall power supply 200 is shown which may comprise a line plug. The circuit is arranged so that upon manual operation, only the cutter drive motor 4 is actuated. When it is desired to have automatic operation, normally-open limit switch 171 must be closed by the position of the carriage in readiness of the start cycle. Thereafter, the push-button is closed completing the circuit to actuate both the cam drive motor 157 and the cutter drive motor 4. Upon completion of the cycle, the eccentric actuates limit switch 171 to open the circuit and shut off both motors.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a stationary guide member 210 having a knife-like guide edge 211 is secured to the apparatus as by adjustable clamping means 212. Edge 211 is arranged relative to the cutting edge 91 of the cutting member so that, as the serrations on the key blank 107 are followed, a like serration is cut into an edge of the key blank. Thus, the pressure of the biasing arrangement maintains the force of the carriage means against the guide edge 211 and against the cutting member.

We claim:

1. A key duplicating machine comprising the combination of:

apparatus support means for providing a base for said machine;

first power drive means, including a motor and gear means, to provide a source of energy to said machine; cutting means for providing serrations in a key blank according to the pattern of a key master;

means connected to said first power drive means for actuating said cutter means;

carriage means, including means for securing said key master relative to said key blank, said carriage means being capable of linear translatory motion with respect to said cutting means so that upon the movement of the carriage means, the cutting means causes the key blank to be out according to the pattern of the key master;

carriage drive means; comprising a cam which includes a continuous groove and a cam follower coacting With said continuous groove, said groove including a first portion which upon movement of said cam drives said cam follower for causing the translatory movement of said carriage means and a second portion which allows said cam follower and said carriage to be manually given translatory movement while said cam remains stationary;

stationary guide means for engaging the serrations of the key master and controlling the position of said carriage means relative to said cutting means; and,

biasing means to maintain the force of the carriage means against the cutting means.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting means further includes deburring means for engaging the key upon the completion of the cutting operation to deburr the newly-cut key configuration.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the carriage means includes a first means for securing a master key and a second means for securing a key blank, said first means being in a fixed position with respect to said second means.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said carriage means further includes means for securing said key blank and said key master to said carriage means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said apparatus further includes a shaft, said carriage is secured to said shaft and further includes a member fixedly secured to said shaft, said member including said cam follower, said cam follower being located in a groove on said roller cam, said member further including means for securing said biasing means thereto.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said machine further includes limit switch means,

a switch cam secured to said roller cam so that when said machine is actuated, said switch cam engages the limit switch after one complete revolution of the roller cam, thereafter to cease operation of said machine, whereby the cutting cycle is achieved in a single rotation of the roller cam.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the roller cam further includes gear means secured to the end of said roller cam opposite said switch cam, and

cam drive means, including a cam drive motor and gear assembly secured to a drive pinion, said drive pinion engaging said cam gear which is secured to said roller cam.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 further including means for actuating said cam drive motor simultaneously with said power drive means for automatic operation.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said apparatus further includes a second member secured to said carriage shaft near one end, means for securing one spring means near the opposite end of said member, said spring means bearing against the opposite end of said second member to cause rotation of the shaft and the carriage means secured thereto so that the bias caused by said spring means is transmitted to the carriage means.

10. A key duplicating machine comprising the combination of:

apparatus support means for providing a base for said machine;

first power drive means, including a motor and gear means, to provide a source of energy to said machine;

cutting means for providing serrations in a key blank according to the pattern of a key master;

means connected to said first power drive means for actuating said cutter means;

10 carriage means, including means for securing said key master relative to said key blank, said carriage means being capable of linear translatory motion with respect to said cutting means so that upon the movement of the carriage means, the cutting means causes the key blank to be cut according to the pattern of the key master; carriage drive means, comprising a cam which includes a continuous groove which permits automatic and manual operation, and a cam follower coacting with sa1d continuous groove, for causing the translatory movement of said carriage means; stationary guide means for engaging the serrations of the key master and controlling the position of said carriage means relative to said cutting means; b1as1ng means to maintain the force of the carriage means against the cutting means; and, sa1d cutting means further including at least one rotatable deburring member mounted upon a shaft which is driven by said power drive means, and wherein said cutting means also includes a rotatable cutting member which is mounted upon a second shaft, said first shaft being concentric with said second shaft and wherein said cutting member is rotatable in a direction opposite said deburring means. 11. A key duplicating machine comprising the combination of:

apparatus support means for providing a base for said machine; first power drive means, including a motor and gear means, to provide a source of energy to said machine; cutting means for providing serrations in a key blank according to the pattern of a key master; means connected to said first power drive means for actuating said cutter means; carriage means, including means for securing said key master relative to said key blank, said carriage means being capable of linear translatory motion with re spect to said cutting means so that upon the movement of the carriage means, the cutting means causes the key blank to be cut according to the pattern of the key master; carriage drive means, comprising a cam which includes a continuous groove which permits automatic and manual operation, and a cam follower coacting with sa1d continuous groove for causing the translatory movement of said carriage means; stationary guide means for engaging the serrations of the key master and controlling the position of said carriage means relative to said cutting means; biasing means to maintain the force of the carriage means against the cutting means; and, said cam being generally cylindrical and the continuous groove of said cam comprising a first portion of said groove for traversing the periphery of said cam in a helical configuration, and a second portion of said groove for traversing the periphery of said cam in a direction generally parallel to the axis of said cam, whereby the cam may be used for both manual and automatic operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,809,566 10/1957 Orchard -1305 3,006,255 10/1961 Horwitz 90-13.05

GIL WEIDENFELD, Primary Examiner 

